Hosea 2:1-7

We see the following sequence in Hosea 2:1-7. These are God’s words using Hosea as his mouthpiece. You may wish to dwell on the expanded thoughts of v.7.
v.2 God’s response: Rebukes Israel, calling out her unfaithfulness.
v.2 Israel’s action: Has been unfaithful.
v.3 God’s action: IF adulterous look is not removed God will come down hard on her. Strip her naked. Make her like a desert, parched, and slay her with thirst.
v.4 God’s action: Will also show this punishment, judgment, and discipline to the children of the adulterous generation.
v.5 Israel’s response: She will seek other lovers. Thinks others can provide food, water, wool, linen, olive oil, and drink. Has forgotten that all things comes from the hand of the Lord. Has forgotten it was God who spoon fed the baby and provided everything from manna, to military victories, to miraculously parting waters, as the young nation was being birthed out of Egypt.
v.6 God’s response: More of v.3 tone. Will block and make treacherous this path. Will wall her in so she cannot find her way.
v.7 Israel’s response: Will chase and pursue her lovers. However this will be to no avail as she will not be able to catch them. She will look for her lovers but not be able to find them.
v.7 God’s grace: God is gracious to frustrate Israel’s path (v.6) as she is diving headlong into sin. Although Israel chases other lovers God does not let her catch them. Woe then to humankind when God allows us to dive in, catch, and come up out of the waters clinging to our depraved pursuits. These treasured sins which we gloat and glory in holding over our head like trophies will also lead to our drowning. We should wish God to be so gracious as to not let us catch what we in our depraved minds desperately seek. It would be most gracious for God to board up this path to short lived enjoyment and long term ruin. Humans left to their vices will destroy themselves and in the end find only death.
v.7 Israel’s response: Since Israel has become frustrated unable to find her lovers she says she will go back to her husband. Finding little enjoyment on the path seeking sin, Israel says she will give up and return home. God has graciously disallowed her to find the enjoyment in the sin she was seeking and craving. Unable to find these lovers whom she calls out for day and night she says she’ll return home.